Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Obesity

Definition

Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20 percent or more over an individual's ideal body weight. Obesity is associated with increased risk of illness, disability, and death.

The branch of medicine that deals with the study and treatment of obesity is known as bariatrics. As obesity has become a major health problem in the United States, bariatrics has become a separate medical and surgical specialty.

Description

Childhood obesity is in the early 2000s a significant health problem in the United States. Obese children and adolescents are at increased risk for developing diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease,